Rapid developments in the use of wireless network communications technology have necessitated the development of additional frequency bands. Such developments include technologies commonly referred to as the Internet-of-Things (IoT), Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication, and the like, and will support sensor devices such as wireless smart meters and the like. In response, the IEEE 802.11ah standardization task group is developing a global Wireless LAN (WLAN) standard that will allow wireless access using carrier frequencies below 1 GHz in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band.
One challenge with such networks results from the fragmented nature of the allocated spectrum below 1 GHz, with different countries using different portions of the band. For example, available bands below 1 GHz for use in China, the European Union, and the United States do not overlap. Such fragmentation, if not addressed, could lead to reduced deployment.